SALT LAKE CITY — What do we want A.I. to look like?
That question was up for discussion among a group of state lawmakers from across the country Thursday, including two Utah legislators.
“Frankly, I’m baffled how this made it into the Big, Beautiful Bill,” said state senator Heidi Balderree (R-Saratoga Springs), when talking about artificial intelligence regulations.
Balderree shares a similar sentiment with several other lawmakers from states like Montana, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The measure in the bill on everyone’s lips is one that would effectively block states from enforcing artificial intelligence-related regulations for the next ten years.
Many question the measure’s constitutionality and say it’s an overreach by Congress.
But A.I. companies like OpenAI and Alphabet Inc. have been openly supportive of Congress taking A.I. regulation out of the hands of states, wanting requirements to be more streamlined.
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State Rep. Doug Fiefia (R-Herriman) says Utah has made itself out to be an “A.I. regulatory sandbox” and the moratorium would freeze forward-thinking work.
“I come from the tech sector, and what’s even generally available to the public is still months and sometimes even years behind,” said Fiefia. “The fact that we have this ten-year moratorium, that’s a lifetime in technology and really hurts states and states’ rights, but at the end of the day, I think it would hurt consumers.”
Last month, a bipartisan group of 40 attorneys general wrote to Congress urging lawmakers not to pass the moratorium.
Earlier this month, Republicans in the Senate Commerce Committee tied compliance with the moratorium to federal funds used for the program behind improving broadband infrastructure, a concern for legislators in this group.
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Sen. Balderree claims Utah has been consistent in its support for experimentation of A.I. technology.
“The federal government has no enumerated power to dictate how the states explore or implement emerging technologies,” she said. “Our states have to remain free to lead, innovate and govern in ways that are unique.”
During the recent legislative session, two bills that dealt with A.I. regulation in Utah were discussed. One on unauthorized use of an individual's personal identity, including use through artificial intelligence, the other enacts provisions related to the use of artificial intelligence in consumer transactions and regulated services.
Both passed unanimously.
